"What a pity," he remarked, "that so talented a boy should be a Jew. If he were a Christian, now," he added, winningly, "he could enter the Holy Church and become famous."
The Sabbath-fire woman knew exactly what the priest meant.
"Do you think he could rise to be a bishop?" she asked.
"He might rise even higher—to be the Pope himself," replied the priest.
"It would be a great thing to give a bishop to the Church, would it not?" said the woman.
"It is a great thing to give anyone to the Church of Rome," the priest assured her.
Then they spoke in whispers. The woman appeared a little troubled, but the priest promised her that all would be well, that she would be rewarded, and that nobody would dare to accuse her of doing anything wrong.
Convinced that she was performing a righteous action, she agreed to do what the priest suggested.
Accordingly, the following Friday night when the household of Simon ben Isaac was wrapped in slumber, she crept stealthily and silently into the boy's bedroom. Taking him gently in her arms, she stole silently out of the house and carried him to the priest who was waiting. Elkanan was well wrapped up in blankets, and so cautiously did the woman move that he did not waken.
The priest said not a word. He just nodded to the woman, and then placed Elkanan in a carriage which he had in waiting.